Knife for cutting broom-corn or the like.



vm. 687,342. Patented Nov. 26, 190:.

w. A. SALTER.- KNIFE FOR CUTTINGBROOM CORN OR THE'LIKE.

(Applicatiou Am Apr. 22, 1901. (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC WVILLIAM A. SALTER, OF HARDESTY, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

KNIFE FOR CUTTING BROOM-CORN OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,342, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed April 22, 1901. Serial No. 56,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SALTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hardesty, in the county of Beaver and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Knives for Cutting Broom-Corn or the Like; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to knives for cutting broom-corn and the like.

Its object is to enable the corn to be cut by the use of one hand only, leaving the other hand free to hold the cut stalks.

To this end the invention consists in a knife adapted to be secured to one hand of the operator in such a position that the act of grasping the stalk of corn brings the knife against the stalk below the hand, so that a slight upward twitch of the wrist or arm will sever the stalk.

Heretofore the operation of gathering broom-corn has been to bend the stalk down and hold the brush with the left hand and sever the stalk with a knife held in the right hand, and vice versa, the most usual kind of knife being an ordinary jackknife or a shoeknife. This requires the use of both hands in cutting and keeps both arms upstretched, which makes the work tiresome and slow. My present device is held securely and firmly in the palm of the hand and is operated by a the muscles of the arm, and hence is easy and speedy in operation and obviatesthe objections incident to former implements designed for this purpose or in common use or practice.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved knife. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the retaining-strap partly in section. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the relative positions of the blade and the stalk of corn. Fig. 5 shows a modification.

The handle is a strap of rigid material, preferably steel, with its main portion A preferably straight, its edges beingsomewhat curved to stifien it and also to permit the hand of the user to be more easily closed. Holes (1. may be made in this portion A for ventilation and for another purpose hereinafter mentioned. The upper end of the handle is curved to form a hook B, at the end of which is a small hook O. The lower end of the handle is bent baekwardly in the same direction as the hook B and is then curved forward at D, merging into or eojoining with a blade E, which lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the handle, as shown best in Fig. 3, and extending diagonally downward from left to right, as shown best in Fig. 2. The blade is preferably integral with the handle, but may be made separate and secured with rivets or other suitable means of connection, if desired, the front edge of the blade being sharp and preferably straight, as illustrated. In using the knife the handle lies across the palm of the hand, the hook B fitting over the top of the hand between the thumb and the knuckle of the first finger and the blade hanging below, running downward and inward toward the person of the user. In order to fasten the knife in this position, Iprovide a flexible retainer passing around the back of the hand, preferably a strap F, engaging with the curve D at one end and having at its other end a series of holes f to engage With the small hook 0, whereby the strap can be tightened or loosened to'fit the hand of the user. The strap may be of any desired width and may even be a mitt or glove G, if desired, to'give a better support and protect the hand from chafingj In this case the holes a are utilized to receive the rivets g, which fasten the glove to the handle.

In operation the stalk ofcorn is grasped below the brush by the hand carrying the knife, which brings the blade in contact with the stalk just below the hand, the edge of the blade standing diagonally across the stalk, as shown in Fig. 4. The operator then gives his arm a twitch or a slight upward jerk, which causes the blade to move slightly forward and to sever the stalk, at the same time leaving the cut head of brush in the hand of the user. The diagonal arrangement of the blade greatly facilitates the cutting, since the fibers can be severed much more easily on a diagonal line. The hook B is an important feature, since it holds the knife firmly and provides a brace to the hand when the muscles of the arm are used, givingthe upward-and-backward motion to the hand to effect the cutting.

By this device the cutting is done with one hand only, leaving the other free to hold and carry the bunch of cut brush.

It is evident that certain changes in an variations from the exact construction hereinbefore described may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention.

While the knife is intended primarily for the purpose of gathering broom-corn, yet it is also equally Well adapted to the topping of sorghum or other corn-seed and such grains as Kafir corn, wild maize, &c., having the head or grain growing on the upper end of the stalk.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A handle having at its lower end a blade Whose edge is transverse to the line of the handle, and devices for securing it transverse to the palm of the hand of the wearer.

2. A handle adapted to lie across the palm of the hand of the wearer, having at its lower.

end a blade whose edge is transverse to the line of the handle, and a flexible retaining device secured to said handle.

3. A handle having at its lower end a blade whose edge is transverse to the line of the handle, a hook at its upper end, and devices for securing it to the hand of the wearer.

4. A handle having at its lower end a blade whose edge is transverse to the line of the handle, a hook at its upper end, and flexible retaining materialsecured to the handle and adapted to secure it to the hand of the wearer.

5. A handle having a diagonally-arranged blade projecting therefrom at one end in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the handle, and having a sharp cutting edge running transversely to the axis of the handle, and devices for securing said handle to the hand of the user.

6. A handle having a curved inner surface, a knife arranged at its lower end with its edge transverse to the line of the handle, a hook at its upper end, and a strap of flexible retaining material attached near the lower end of said handle and adjustably secured to the hook.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 7 in presence of two Witnesses.

\VILLIAM A. SALTER.

Witnesses:

MATIE SALTER, JOHN C. PORTER. 

